The biocide benefits of copper salts are well documented in the literature. Upon contact with water, these salts release cuprous and/or cupric ions, depending on the type of salt. It is scientifically accepted that the mechanism through which fungus, bacteria and virus are inactivated and/or eliminated by copper ions through means of the penetration of said ions into the microorganism through the membrane. The ions that penetrate the membrane of these microorganisms alter the vital systems (membrane permeability, protein degradation, enzyme reaction inhibition, along with many other harmful effects).
Several patents document the biocide application of copper and copper salts, organic and inorganic, on polymers. Some of these applications are related to the coating of polymers with a thin layer of metal or metal salts (coating), bond formation between the polymer structure and copper ions (radicals, amino acids), and so on.
The biocide effect of zinc is also well documented. Particularly, zinc oxide has been used for a very long time as an active ingredient in dermatological formulations (creams and others) because of its properties (Sawai, 2004, Sawai J (2003) Quantitative evaluation of antibacterial activities of metallic oxide powders (ZnO, MgO and CaO) by conductimetric assay. J Microbiol Methods 54:177-182). It is also known that zinc oxide acts as a UV radiation filter.
In document JP2011052338, an antibacterial textile product is described, which has a first component that is an oxide that contains at least one of the zinc ions and copper ions and a second component, which is an oxide of at least one of the alkaline and alumina metal oxide, where at least one of the antimicrobial inorganic agents contain at least one of the components and a synthetic polyvinyl alcohol polymer merges with the textile product.
Document FR2831188 describes a woven textile product that includes a copper and/or copper compound as a fine and homogeneously dispersed powder in a polymeric material that includes, for instance and among others, vinyl chloride, vinylidenechloride. Furthermore, it also describes the production of the textile product through copper micronization and/or a copper compound in order to obtain particles smaller than 50 micrometers, by means of dispersing homogenously the particles in a polymer solution, and weaving the mixture when it is dry or moist.
Document CA2748734 describes fungicide compositions that include a copper salicylate with the formula C7H4O3Cu(H2O)n, where n represents 0, 1, 2 or 3; a copper hydroxide Cu(OH)2(H); a copper salt of formula 3Cu(OH)2-X(Y)m, where X represents a cupric ion Cu2+ or calcium ion Ca2+, Y means a chloride ion Cl— or sulfate ion SO4 2-, m is an integer number equal to 1 or 2.
In document MX2010008389 describes a wide range germicide against bacteria, virus and fungus. The invention consists of a concentrated solution of silver, copper and/or zinc ions, which is an organic vegetable solvent that has natural healing properties. The germicide can be produced by means of two major steps: A) produced through the proportional combination of two or more chemical formulas, which contains the active element or oligodynamic metals (silver, copper and zinc), such as copper gluconate, copper nitrate, copper sulfate, silver nitrate, silver oxalate, zinc nitrate, zinc gluconate, silver chloride, silver acetate, zinc sulfate or zinc oxalate; and dissolved in demineralized water and an organic stabilizer. B) Dilution in demineralized water of one of the following organic acids: maleic acid, citric acid, folic acid, oxalic acid, acetic acid, glycolic acid or any other organic acid with similar properties; the solution thus obtained recirculates through an electrolysis system.
Document GB2411405 describes a material that inhibits the growth of marine organisms on submerged surfaces, includes a copper powder dispersed on a matrix where there is also a fugitive additive included. The fugitive additive may be a volatile or water-soluble liquid or a water-soluble solid. The matrix is preferrably a plastic resin such as an epoxy resin. In practice, a partially porous layer is formed with the material in order to augment the quantity of exposed copper.
The national document of the same inventors, request 134-2010, describes a method to prepare a biocide formulation from a polymeric material and an active ingredient that includes 0.1 to 40% copper, 0.1 to 40% zinc, 0.01 to 10% silver and 0.01 to 10% chitosan. The process is carried out in an anoxic atmosphere and preferably in the presence of an inert gas.
The documents disclose the state of the technique defining biocide compositions that contain copper and/or zinc ions in the presence of some polymer for specific applications. By having a single biocide composition, good use in various applications cannot be achieved, because every specific application requires a given speed and application time of the product. Besides, in the case of the biocide agents that contain salts, their release or solubilization, is defined by their solubility constant, which makes it very necessary to have biocide agents with clearly defined solubility constants.
Thus, there still exists the need of having biocide compositions specifically for the application that a given product is going to receive, that is to say they have to be developed in accordance with the use of the product.
Thus, it would be desirable to have a biocide agent suitable to be employed in different applications and that has a predefined solubility constant.
Thus, an aim of the present invention is to have a biocide composition that includes copper and zinc salts that have a solubility constant within a predefined range.
Another aim consists of having a production method of a biocide composition that includes copper and zinc salts that have a solubility constant within a predefined range.